Friday, May 28, 2010

Frisbees were flying, water bottles were being tossed across the gym and the leader was shouting, “What have we got?” as participants shouted back,“ EDGE!” The scene was a little wild at the Sand Springs Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club last week and there wasn’t a kid in the building.

The club hosted the annual Boys & Girls Club All State, All Staff Leadership Conference Wed., May 26 & Thurs., May 27. More than a hundred people attended the conference to learn from each other’s experiences and to hear presentations from national and regional Boys & Girls Club managers. “It was an honor to have so many people at our club, and the information was excellent,” said Greg Parker, Unit Director of the Sand Springs club and a member of the state conference committee. Some of the topics covered were attracting and retaining teens, strengthening families and creating good citizens. One of the presentations used the acronym “BUIC” to describe the Boys & Girls Club philosophy of what clubs are all about: belonging, usefulness, influence and competence. “For example, if you have a kid who isn’t a good athlete, put him or her to work announcing games,” said Fay Beard, Boys & Girls Club Regional Service Director. “Then that kid has a sense of belonging, usefulness to the team, influence with the other kids and competence as he or she improves skills.” What have we got, Tulsa Area Boys & Girls Club? A successful state conference!

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

The dates have been set, Food for Hope Week will be August 9-13, 2010.

What is Food for Hope? This annual community event connects local restaurants and Salvation Army supporters together to raise money for the Center of Hope - which serves more than 1,000 meals daily!

How does it work? Supporters visit participating restaurants from Aug. 9-13 and 15% of their meal cost is donated by the restaurant to The Salvation Army. It's a partnership where everybody wins!

Right now we are working on our list of participating restaurants. If you or someone you know owns or manages a Tulsa area eating establishment, call or email us and we will contact them to partner with us for this exciting week!

We are also looking for businesses, groups and individuals who have catering needs during that week. If you or your group are planning a large meal, make sure you check our participating restaurants list before you order!

More details will be posted soon, if you would like to help in any way email michael_dishman@uss.salvationarmy.org or call 918-587-7801 and ask for Michael.

Last week, more than 100 players, volunteers and staff joined together on a foggy morning at Indian Springs Country Club in Broken Arrow to raise funds for women and children's programs at the Center of Hope.

The day was a huge success and when the morning fog broke and the sun came out all in attendance were happy to get warmed up! Fundraising totals from fees, sponsorships and games are not yet available but we can say the tournament was a huge success and all the women who played supported a wonderful cause in a fun way! I can't wait for next year!

Thursday, May 20, 2010

The scent of barbecue was in the air as far as a block away from the Center of Hope Wednesday and the line of people waiting to eat it wrapped around the building. The Center of Hope is a homeless shelter and social services center at 102 N. Denver. The barbecue is an annual event held to celebrate National Salvation Army Week. Arletta Robinson, Center of Hope director, had traditional Salvation Army “Blood & Fire” flags hung from the ceiling of the dining room where center guests ate smoked ribs and chicken. Two huge grills outside the kitchen sent up clouds of smoke as cooks turned the meat for 450 meals. Even those who were too young to tackle the barbecued meat enjoyed fruity orange Jello, baked beans and potato salad.

"Thanks to all of the wonderful staff and volunteers, this year’s celebration was a tremendous success," Arletta Robinson said.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

The Salvation Army North Mabee Boys & Girls Club was chosen by the National Salvation Army as the site to film a commercial that will run on national network and cable TV during the holidays. The North Mabee club was the only Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club in the country that was chosen for this honor. An 11-member film crew from Dallas shot footage at the club for two days, interviewing 23 members and supporters of the club. The North Mabee Club was chosen because of its success with helping North Tulsa kids become responsible, outstanding adults, including seven NFL football players in the last 26 years. The commercial is due to be broadcast on TV in mid November and air throughout the holidays.

Filming was coordinated by a Dallas advertising agency, the Richards Group. Other clients of the ad agency are QuikTrip, The Home Depot, Motel 6, Dodge Ram, Red Lobster and Chick-Fil - A. Jon Lee, the representative from the Richards Group who headed the film shoot, said the Dallas group was amazed with all the club has to offer. “We thought we would just be filming the athletic program, but this club has an outstanding academic program as well as arts programs such as ballet, a recording studio and a drum line.”

Felix Jones,II, a running back for the Dallas Cowboys and former club member, was interviewed, along with Beverly Meachem, the mother of Robert Meachem, the wide receiver who helped the New Orleans Saints win the Super Bowl in January. Others interviewed for the film were North Mabee Director Jo Bright, Assistant Club Director Latrice Fowlkes, Athletic Director Kenny King and photography instructor Turner Goodrum. “We were happy to be chosen for this honor and we’re hopeful that the attention North Mabee will receive from being on national TV will bring good things to the club,” Bright said.

Photo: From left, film director Jeff Bednarz, attorney Damario Solomon-Simmons, North Mabee Director Jo Bright, Dallas Cowboys running back Felix Jones,II enjoy a laugh during a film shoot at North Mabee. Damario and Felix are alumni of the club.

Friday, May 14, 2010

National Salvation Army Week is under way and the Tulsa Command is celebrating with a media campaign and a barbecue. The barbecue is an annual tradition at Center of Hope homeless shelter where guests and employees enjoy the meal prepared by kitchen staff. In the media campaign, ten TV and radio stations received a box of gourmet cookies with a fact sheet about TSA and a card stating “Thank you for helping us ‘Do the Most Good’ all year.” In Broken Arrow, Sapulpa and Sand Springs, we will be submitting stories and photographs about people in the corps and Boys & Girls Clubs to the local newspapers.

For the Sand Springs Leader, Tulsa Area Command accounting clerk Elaine Story contributed this photo of her father (back row, center) in a Sand Springs Salvation Army band from the 1920s. We’ve asked Paul Waldschmidt, a staff writer at the Leader and a member of the Sand Springs Advisory Board, to run the photo with a caption asking readers if they can identify anyone else in the photograph. Elaine’s father, James Short, became a lieutenant in the Salvation Army and Elaine and her husband Eddie, the Arkansas-Oklahoma Division Salvation Army 2009 Man of the Year, are very active in the Sand Springs Corps.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

It’s easy to guess that Coach Sam Berry’s favorite sport is football, since he is an American Youth Football Conference of Oklahoma (AYFCO) Commissioner. But if you’ve run into Coach Sam recently, you’ll notice that he can’t stop talking about T-Ball. Sam started the first T-ball program at Mabee Red Shield in March, where he is the Athletic Director. The kids on the T-ball team range from five to seven years old and it seems they love Sam as much as he loves teaching them T-ball. The team mothers seem happy about the season too.

Missy Armstrong is mother to five boys aged three to 20. Her five-year-old son Daylin plays on the T-ball team. (see photo, left)

“Since Daylin has so many good male role models with his dad and his brothers, I was really surprised to see how well he bonded with Coach Sam. But with Daylin it’s ‘Coach Sam said this, and Coach Sam said that.’”

The Mabee Red Shield T-ball Cowboys play in the YMCA League and learn the fundamentals of the game as well as good sportsmanship. Missy is planning to have Daylin play football at the club in the fall. “Coach Sam treats all these kids like they’re his own grandkids. You can tell it’s not just a job for him – he has a passion for it,” Missy said. Coach Sam would like to thank fathers for their involvement with T-ball, including Donnie White, Chris Campbell, Andrew Carter, Dwayne Mayes (Daylin’s dad) and Mr. Davis.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Oklahoma City, OK – The Arkansas-Oklahoma Division of The Salvation Army is responding to multiple areas where tornadoes touched down on May 10. A series of ten tornadoes crossed the state and meteorologists believe they were all part of one big super cell. Five fatalities have now been confirmed and search and rescue efforts continue. A second search is being conducted of the 49 square mile area hard hit in rural Oklahoma County. Governor Brad Henry has declared a State of Emergency to exist in 56 Oklahoma counties due to tornadoes and severe storms that ripped through the state yesterday.

Currently, in Oklahoma County, preliminary reports are of 40 homes damaged, between 40 and 50 destroyed; 40 businesses destroyed. 46 patients, 2 of which are critical; and 2 confirmed fatalities. In Okmulgee County: No injuries; many homes with minor damage; Major damage to the
marina; 1 business sustained substantial damage. In Seminole County: Three-quarters of the Seminole Municipal Airport is destroyed; 50 homes damaged; undetermined number of injuries.

Currently the Arkansas-Oklahoma Division has six mobile feeding and hydration units responding to the following areas: involved in the following:

The Central Oklahoma Area Command (COAC) canteen is located at 1-240 and Anderson Road at the Incident Commander Center providing meals and hydration to emergency responders. The Shawnee trailer unit deployed to Tecumseh and will be deploying emotional and spiritual care team as well due to fatalities.

The Ardmore canteen is deployed in the Norman and Cleveland County area.

The Enid canteen is deployed to Little Axe, east of Lake Thunderbird.

The McAlester Canteen is deployed to assist Shawnee with response efforts in various parts of Seminole and Pottawatomie Counties.

The Shawnee hydration unit is deployed per the request of County Emergency Management to help with utility workers and county workers near Seminole.

The Tulsa canteen is deployed and will be at a fixed site in Seminole.

Monday, May 10, 2010

The Tulsa Metro Area Salvation Army would like to invite you to support our 3rd Annual “Women Helping Women” Celebrity Golf Tournament on May 17, 2010 at Indian Springs Country Club. 100% of the net tournament proceeds will go to benefit the Women & Children’s programs and services of the Tulsa Metro Area Salvation Army.
The Salvation Army provides emergency housing, financial assistance, advocacy programs and spiritual guidance, for those in need… without discrimination. Our goal is to better assist women & children in transition, by providing stability for their future. Your contribution toward our Celebrity Golf Tournament will help The Salvation Army reach the growing number of hurting women & children in our community… especially during these tough economic times.

Monday, May 17, 2010
Registration-7:00 am

“Grab & Go” Breakfast- 7:30 am
Shotgun Start-8:30 am

Lunch-1:00 pm

Indian Springs Country Club

16006 E. 131st St. South - Broken Arrow (1 block west of 161st on 131st Street)

FORMAT: 4 Person Scramble – 2 Putt Maximum

PACE OF PLAY: Each player tees off and then takes the preferred tee shot. Players hit their next shot from that spot, getting one club length no closer to the hole. Process repeats until the ball is on green; a 2 putt maximum is then in effect.

As the historic flood waters began to rise last Sunday evening in downtown Nashville, a group of anxious men weighed their options from a staircase overlooking the parking lot of The Salvation Army’s Adult Rehabilitation Center.

“We didn’t think it was that serious, until we saw this wall of water rushing down the street,” said JaRon Britton, one of the program’s participants. “We kept saying that we’d leave when the water reached the railing or when it reached the door, but we really thought it would stop.”

As the hours passed, the water continued to rise and the electricity began to go in and out in the building. It became apparent to the men that a decision had to be made. They stuffed their valuables into garbage bags and formulated a plan to lock arms and try to swim out together. “I knew that water was over my head,” said Bennett. “I thought I was going to die Sunday night.”

Just then a boat appeared in the street. Rescue workers ferried the men in groups to higher ground. Since then, the men have been housed at The Salvation Army’s Magness-Potter Community Center in another part of the city. Remarkably, over half of the men have agreed to a transfer to The Salvation Army’s Adult Rehabilitation Center in Memphis to continue their recovery.

“It’s a historic event for us and it’s a miracle,” said Captain August Pilsbury, Administrator of the Nashville Adult Rehabilitation Center. “It’s a miracle that everyone got out alive and it’s a miracle that so many of them are willing to do whatever it takes to complete their program.”

The men gathered Wednesday evening for their last meal together before their departure on Thursday morning. It was a sad occasion, as many were saying goodbye, but it was also a celebration of their friendships, their rescue and their hope for a new future.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Keli Johnson, Administrative Assistant at the Sapulpa Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club, has a creative streak a mile long. She’s putting it to good use this month custom painting backpacks for kids who sign up for Summer Camp. Jake Law, Club Director, ordered 75 royal blue backpacks in preparation for Day Camp, which will start June 1. Many of the kids who attend the after-school program now are planning to enroll in Day Camp, so Keli is custom painting backpacks for kids who request it. So far, she’s painted a Noah’s Ark scene, (see photo) basketball players, frogs and butterflies.

Another creative gift she shares is refurbishing old furniture. “When people come to the club asking for help with furnishings I can’t stand to just turn them away,” she said. So she and her husband take furniture others have thrown away, refurbish it, and store it in their garage. When people in need come to the club, Keli gives them her phone number and they meet at her garage after she gets off work. Like many Salvation Army employees, Keli doesn’t stop working for the good of the community when her work day is over. “That’s the kind of stuff my husband and I like to do,” she said.

Monday, May 3, 2010

We are currently looking for generous donors to help fund this summer's camp program. If you or your business would like to donate click here, please note that it is for summer camp under special instructions for your gift. Thanks!